I don't think I agree with the "dishonest" label, but lifetime licenses are a bit scammy even when they're offered earnestly.
But the implication is that it's for your lifetime.
How does your lifetime license save you money over just engaging in a straight-up purchase?
When I purchased the Plex lifetime license 6 years ago, I asked myself how many years to break even vs if I purchased yearly. The answer was 2.5 years.
I also asked myself if Plex was going to last at least that long, and I thought they were, and they did, and I wanted to support them.